Fámjin lies beutifully surrounded by high mountains on the west cost of Suðuroy.
The church in Fámjin is from 1875. In the church there is a runic stone and the prototype of the Faeroese flag 'Merkid'.
This flag was made by Jens Oliver Lisberg from Fámjin and others while they were studying in Copenhagen in 1919.
'Merkid' was not officially recognized in the beginning. However during World War II England prohibited the use of the Danish flag on
faroese ships as Denmark was occupied by Germany. Therfore Merkid was run up on the ships instead.
Not until the verification of the homerule act in 1948 was Merkid recognized as the official flag of The Faroe Islands.
Tradition says that Fámjin used to be called Vesturvik. One day two men from the village were out on the sea fishing from their boat.
There they saw a french sailship just lying there waiting for wind. The two men invited two ladies into their boat to see a large halibut.
When the ladies were onboard the men quickly rowed towards their village with them. From the sailship they heard the frenchmen
shout "Femmes ... Femmes".
After that day Vesturvik was called Fámjin.
These things are said to have happened in the 16th. century. |